First Club Ride of the Year!!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
First Off, A little celebration, this is my 101th post!! Wow, those first 100 posts went by fast! I have had few others then went I went riding last year, so I must have spent nearly 100 days on the bike. Had to be more than that, as I recall, I have combined similar days.
Okay, to today's ride. Early in the week I had been invited to meet with Charlie and Cynthia, and some members from the Salem, Indiana, Hoosier Thunder Chapter at an Italian Place in Columbus called Johnny Carinos. It is still early in the season for us Hoosiers, and with March and April, there comes a daily chance of showers and thunderstorms. It was looking all week like I might have to climb aboard my Ford Ranger and drive to Columbus.
I was on our forum, sending a post to Charlie telling him I felt like we would have a window of opportunity today, when the skies let loose. It poured hard, and for about 10 seconds! It was still two hours before I needed to depart, so we still had plenty of time.
By the time that 11 am rolled around, the sunny was out, and rays were bouncing all over the wet ground. I hopped on the bike, and headed down my street to Washington. I would be turning left, which is always a chore, because the magnetic trip loop doesn't work, and not just for bikes, either.
I made my turn, and headed east to Franklin Road. I headed south to Brookville Road, which is also US 52. We were meeting at a Shell Station at that intersection. At least that is what I thought. Turns out, at some point, this became a Marathon Station? I parked so I could be seen.
The first to show up was Greg, who joined the group last year, and you might remember from Julie's Ride. He was taking pictures of the great scenery and sending them back to his fiance, rubbing into her what she was missing. Apparently, despite this, she is still going to marry him, with things planned for May.
Next, and unfamiliar bike pulled in. The guy rode in on a blue Shadow Ace that was a very nice looking bike. He had been surfing our web page, and decided to check us out. His name was Ed, and he is a Video Engineer, so we had a lot the same things, and people to talk about.
The three of us waited until 20 till noon, and decided to head out. This being the first trip of the year, I wanted to have an easy plan. We would not be hitting any backroads today. Besides a lot of them are still covered with sand, salt, and loose pavement.
We continued east on US 52, through New Palestine, and to SR 9. We took that south through Shelbyville, and to SR 46, which leads into Columbus, Indiana. We were in a shopping district of Columbus, and the roads were confusing on how to get to the eatery. I could see the other group just pulling in, and many of them were from the Bloomington Chapter.
We gathered in the restuarant, and proved to our selves that there were no geometry majors, or Tettris Masters among the group, as we tried to figure out a table arrangement. The Turkey Panini I had was very tasty, could have used a little more of the sauce.
We departed, and went back on SR 46 for a short distance to US 31, were we would head north. We stopped just short of where it crossed I 65 to fuel up for the trip home, this time at a Shell, and I knew it was a Shell, as I pass it regularly on my way to and from Cummins.
We continued north on US 31, as I was hoping to get to Dreyer South Honda before they closed to talk to them about my Fuel Injection Light. We made it, looked around the shop, and I talked to a mechanic.
When finished, we headed up US 31, and Greg peeled off at Madison. Ed I continued together, but he lives south of my, and had a message from his wife about picking up some dish soap. I kept on Emerson Avenue, and decided, with dark clouds looming, to take I 465 back to Washington Street. I made detour to get some AA Batteries. On my way back, and about a mile from home, the drops begin to fall. It was a light rain, and as long as I kept moving, it was fine, refreshing even.
So that is the trip, and 101st post!!
First Off, A little celebration, this is my 101th post!! Wow, those first 100 posts went by fast! I have had few others then went I went riding last year, so I must have spent nearly 100 days on the bike. Had to be more than that, as I recall, I have combined similar days.
Okay, to today's ride. Early in the week I had been invited to meet with Charlie and Cynthia, and some members from the Salem, Indiana, Hoosier Thunder Chapter at an Italian Place in Columbus called Johnny Carinos. It is still early in the season for us Hoosiers, and with March and April, there comes a daily chance of showers and thunderstorms. It was looking all week like I might have to climb aboard my Ford Ranger and drive to Columbus.
I was on our forum, sending a post to Charlie telling him I felt like we would have a window of opportunity today, when the skies let loose. It poured hard, and for about 10 seconds! It was still two hours before I needed to depart, so we still had plenty of time.
By the time that 11 am rolled around, the sunny was out, and rays were bouncing all over the wet ground. I hopped on the bike, and headed down my street to Washington. I would be turning left, which is always a chore, because the magnetic trip loop doesn't work, and not just for bikes, either.
I made my turn, and headed east to Franklin Road. I headed south to Brookville Road, which is also US 52. We were meeting at a Shell Station at that intersection. At least that is what I thought. Turns out, at some point, this became a Marathon Station? I parked so I could be seen.
The first to show up was Greg, who joined the group last year, and you might remember from Julie's Ride. He was taking pictures of the great scenery and sending them back to his fiance, rubbing into her what she was missing. Apparently, despite this, she is still going to marry him, with things planned for May.
Next, and unfamiliar bike pulled in. The guy rode in on a blue Shadow Ace that was a very nice looking bike. He had been surfing our web page, and decided to check us out. His name was Ed, and he is a Video Engineer, so we had a lot the same things, and people to talk about.
The three of us waited until 20 till noon, and decided to head out. This being the first trip of the year, I wanted to have an easy plan. We would not be hitting any backroads today. Besides a lot of them are still covered with sand, salt, and loose pavement.
We continued east on US 52, through New Palestine, and to SR 9. We took that south through Shelbyville, and to SR 46, which leads into Columbus, Indiana. We were in a shopping district of Columbus, and the roads were confusing on how to get to the eatery. I could see the other group just pulling in, and many of them were from the Bloomington Chapter.
We gathered in the restuarant, and proved to our selves that there were no geometry majors, or Tettris Masters among the group, as we tried to figure out a table arrangement. The Turkey Panini I had was very tasty, could have used a little more of the sauce.
We departed, and went back on SR 46 for a short distance to US 31, were we would head north. We stopped just short of where it crossed I 65 to fuel up for the trip home, this time at a Shell, and I knew it was a Shell, as I pass it regularly on my way to and from Cummins.
We continued north on US 31, as I was hoping to get to Dreyer South Honda before they closed to talk to them about my Fuel Injection Light. We made it, looked around the shop, and I talked to a mechanic.
When finished, we headed up US 31, and Greg peeled off at Madison. Ed I continued together, but he lives south of my, and had a message from his wife about picking up some dish soap. I kept on Emerson Avenue, and decided, with dark clouds looming, to take I 465 back to Washington Street. I made detour to get some AA Batteries. On my way back, and about a mile from home, the drops begin to fall. It was a light rain, and as long as I kept moving, it was fine, refreshing even.
So that is the trip, and 101st post!!
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